Retailers pleased with sales over Black Friday weekend

Michael Mercier / The Huntsville TimesThe women's shoe department at the Belk store in Parkway Place mall was slammed with shoppers on Black Friday.

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- A random survey of 20 small shops at Parkway Place showed their sales on Black Friday and Saturday averaged more than 40 percent higher than the same dates last year.

That kind of increase was a pleasant surprise to the mall's management.

And, though there was a noticeable slowdown in traffic at Parkway Place and Madison Square Mall during the Iron Bowl Friday afternoon, business "picked right back up" after the game, said Jana Kuner, the marketing director at both malls.

When Kuner arrived at Madison Square before 5 o'clock Friday morning, the parking area along University Drive was completely full.

Not only did JCPenney, Sears and Belk open at 4 a.m., many smaller shops had early openings, too.

The National Retail Federation's latest survey showed that more shoppers visited stores and websites over Black Friday weekend - and spent more - than a year ago.

According to the survey, 212 million shoppers visited stores and websites over Black Friday weekend, including Thursday, Friday, Saturday and projected spending for Sunday, up from 195 million last year. The average shopper over the weekend spent $365.34, up from last year's $343.31. Total spending reached an estimated $45 billion.

Teresa Kennedy, the marketing manager at Bridge Street Town Centre, said the retailers she's spoken with so far have reported much higher sales than last year.

"We were pretty steady the whole day," Kennedy said. Within the first four to five hours, one merchant's Black Friday sales reached the amount for the whole day last year. "That's huge."

Bridge Street also had its share of stores with extended hours, with some stores opening at midnight or 3 a.m.

"I think it's going to be a great holiday season," Kennedy said.

Customers lined up at many stores across town to take advantage of early-bird deals.

A line of shoppers wrapped around the side of the building waiting for the Belk store at Parkway Place to open at 4 a.m. Friday.

"We had more customers than gift cards," said Janet Brown, the store's manager. Gift cards were handed out to the first 250 customers entering three of the store's entrances.

"It was very busy all day Friday," she said, adding that it did seem like there was a bigger turnout than last year. Early-bird specials on shoes and appliances were a hit with shoppers.

Smaller independent merchants had their own promotions to entice bargain shoppers.

Crossroads boutiques in Madison and Huntsville were open at 6 a.m. on Black Friday, offering 25 percent off everything in the stores.

Business on Friday was steady all day at the stores, said owner John Smith.

"We were busy Saturday, too," he said, and business was still brisk on Sunday at the Madison store, the only one of the two stores open that day.